RHOC Ratings

Oh, Tamra Barney… you know sometimes it’s best to keep your comments to yourself! After Tuesday night’s Costa Mexico Aventurevention with Alexis Bellino, Tamra is speaking out defending her behavior and she insists she is not a bully! She’s just a professionally trained reality television interventionalist working to remedy the fake and phony!

“A bully is someone that intentionally goes after another person,” Tamra shares with RumorFix. “I have never gone after Alexis, she came to me and asked me how I felt. I am a very honest person and don’t tend to sugarcoat my thoughts.” I think Tamra’s version of honesty is more commonly known as diarrhea of the mouth.

And Tamra claims her treatment of Alexis is all in fun… unless you’re, you know, actually Alexis. “Sure, I poke fun of her in my interviews in regards to some of the stuff she says and does (it’s my job and we all do it to each other). Geez, even Kathy Griffin has written her into her act! I honestly feel sorry for Alexis and I hope she gets help.”

Tamra claims the intervention on this weeks episode of Real Housewives of Orange County was a cast-wide affair and everyone deemed it necessary. Why, I’m still not sure. “When the whole cast is planning a intervention to try and get through to this girl it’s gotta make you wonder. Is everyone else wrong and she is right? NO!,” Tamra says.

In fact, the in-fighting and fragmentation of former friends has equaled a big ratings jump for Bravo’s least watched Housewives series! LALate News is reporting that Tuesday’s episode was the number five most watched cable show for 18-49 year-olds and garnered 2.1 million viewers. Pretty solid!

Proving that big animosity means big drama, Alexis shares her perspective in her Bravo Blog. And, Alexis all but declares her friendship to Gretchen over! Clearly, Alexis has not moved past Gretchen outing her nose job to enemy,Tamra Barney! “Why would Gretchen even mention my surgery to that group? What purpose did that serve? How foolish and juvenile!,” Alexis seethes.

“First off, it’s no one else’s business what procedure I’m getting done. Why does everyone seem so interested in my personal life when I’m not including them in it? Yes, I have been talking about a nose job for years, but I have NEVER HAD THE NERVE TO DO IT!”

“So when Tamra says ‘Just own it,’ HELLO! I am owning it. I’m doing the procedure on national television. . .I don’t think there is any hiding in that!;” Alexis reminds us.

And as to allegations that she was being defensive, she is owning that too! “Yes, I’m defensive because all of you are talking about me! That would make anyone defensive, and frankly, buzz off! I’m not looking for a fight.”

“The most difficult part of this entire evening is seeing Gretchen turn on me. Last year she would have stood up for me if Tamra was attacking me,” Alexis declares.

“I have been by Gretchen’s side for two years now. Gretchen says she didn’t get involved because I was handling myself just fine, and that I never got in the middle of she and Tamra. I spent numerous occasions defending Gretchen to Tamra, especially in group settings.”

“The bottom line is, if anyone I knew, friend or not, was talking about Gretchen the way Tamra was talking about me that night, I would have defended Gretchen. I knew at that moment I was on my own island. It really hurts my heart to know that I don’t have Gretchen to back me. Only time will tell if our friendship can sustain.”

Jim Bellino is also getting in on the action to defend his wife. The retired Househusband took to his personal blog to explain how loyalty works and describe how certain people haven’t figured it out yet!

“The major difference between real life and reality TV is that in real life, what someone thinks about you either never gets back to you, or it takes a while—it’s part of a social process that takes time and many leaky sources. On reality TV, you find out fast—and it’s brutal, and there are no holds barred,” Jim explains.

“Loyalties become extra fickle when there’s a third party helping viewers decide what to think,” Jim assets. “How people on reality TV treat one another changes every episode. How can this be?”

“How cast mates regard each other in their private interviews changes more than the weather—and what’s worse, some of the audience watching the show changes their opinion of someone based on what their favorite cast mate on the show says.” I hate to say it, but, Jim makes a lot of good points in his blog. Who’s really writing them, Jim?

“Loyalty is nine-tenths of the law—Alexis and I are not interested in bandwagon friends, and you shouldn’t be either,” Jim concludes.

Finally, Vicki Gunvalson is speaking out about the horrendous fight she had with on-and-off-camera nemesis, Gretchen. “My thought on the never-ending bunco episode is “true embarrassment.” Am I disgusted at myself and how I lost my temper with Gretchen andSlade [Smiley]? One word — absolutely!;” Vicki starts off explaining in her Bravo blog.

And, Vicki is wasting no time explaining the difference between Brooks Ayers‘ child support arrest and Slade’s! “Gretchen and Slade were both just trying to make a case for their innocence for Slade’s past child support issues.”

“Fact is, once they found out that Brooks had been arrested for back child support several years ago, they felt it was a way to make Slade look better or equal by bringing Brooks into it.” Really, there is no way to make a deadbeat dad “look better” – it’s scummy no matter which way you spin it, ladies!

“Instead of questioning Brooks directly, they decided to attack me when I was most vulnerable and going through a very rough time in my life,” Vicki shares. Which is interesting considering Gretchen was complaining that Vicki has never directly asked her about Slade’s issues.

Giving some background on why she does not get along with Slade, Vicki reveals it all goes back to the beginning of Housewives time. “The issue with Slade and myself stems back all the way to Season 1 seven years ago when he was dating Jo [de la Rosa]. He lied about dating Lauri [Waring] after Jo and him broke up, and he treated all the ladies like we were second class citizens or beneath him.”

“When Tamra and I called Slade a deadbeat dad several years ago, it was because of him bashing us on and off camera and it was our way of getting back to him where it hurt.”

“I have kept trying to see the “good” in Slade and move on, however he just keeps stirring things up. Why does he continue to stir up trouble? What other man does that to women?,” she wonders. “I really think he thrives on the drama so he gets more airtime.”

“Brooks has never, nor would he ever, verbally attack a woman. . .EVER. One word comes to mind that I think Slade should consider is — chivalry. Where I come from and how I was raised, men are to treat women with respect and class. This is something Slade doesn’t seem to be able to do. You either have it or you don’t.”

“Slade you might want to take some lessons from Brooks, Jim, Eddie [Judge], Terry [Dubrow], and the previous male RHOC-ers who have never verbally attacked a women.” Dang, pretty harsh, albeit true!

Vicki makes it clear she has not made amends with the serial Housewives schtuper. “Class, integrity, and character are something you cannot buy or wish for. . .you either have it or you don’t and for Slade to do what he did in front of 300 people was disgusting and made me very sad.”

Vicki is also speaking out defending herself for attending Bunco night and appearing on film in the midst of daughter, Briana Wolfsmith‘s, health issues. Taking to Twitter, Vicki explains she has had a surprisingly low profile during filming! “The family emergency was my first priority and I stopped filming much of the time. Briana was my 1st priority an always will be,” she insisted.

ARE ALEXIS AND GRETCHEN STILL FRIENDS? DOES JIM HAVE A POINT ABOUT REALITY TV LOYALTY? IS VICKI A HYPOCRITE OR DOES SHE MAKE SOME FAIR POINTS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BROOKS AND SLADE?

Last Tuesday marked the season premiere of Real Housewives of Orange County. Now in it’s seventh season, Bravo’s original Housewives series suffered from dismal ratings last year, but after shaking things up a bit, garnered about 2.3 million viewers last Tuesday – up 10% from last year’s season premiere.

Pretty impressive for a show most people swore they wouldn’t watch. I knew you would! Perhaps new Housewife Heather Dubrow, along with Tamra Barney and Gretchen Rossi putting their feud to rest, is what attracted more viewers. Or maybe it was other newbie, Sarah Winchester who was bringing the curious?

Sarah, billed as a “Friend of the Housewives,” is a close friend of Gretchen’s and a self-proclaimed heir to the Winchester Rifle fortune. Sarah made her mark when she showed up at Vicki Gunvalson‘s season kickoff party in a pair of ratty, old jeans and hair she forgot to comb. It wasn’t a great first impression.

An even worse impression comes in the form of Sarah’s dating history – most prevalently that she has been crushing hardcore, and apparently having a fling, with former Housewife Jeana Keough‘s eldest son, Shane Keough.

Fans of the show may remember Shane for his straight-up a$$hole outbursts and blatant disregard for his mother – oh yeah and his baseball career. Well it seems Shane has been hooking up with the 33-year-old Sarah for about a year. “They’ve had a fling for over a year,” an insider revealed to Star Magazine. Shane, a former Minor League Baseball player, is eight years younger than Sarah. So, does that make her, like, a cougar?

Sarah’s alleged fling with Shane may make sense given Jeana’s guest appearance this season. Perhaps we’ll see Shane as well! I know you’ve missed him! Upon hearing the news that he is supposedly dating Sarah, Shane immediately denied it via Twitter, answering: “Nooooo<<Weird that I am unaware of this,” when a fan asked about it.

Sadly for Sarah, Shane (who isn’t even admitting to dating her) is a “major upgrade” from the “sleazy guys” she usually dates. Where on earth does Bravo find these classy women?! According to the insider, Sarah whose seeming more and more like a grifter by the minute usually gravitates towards the sugar daddy types!

“She was living off older men,” the insider explained. “She was flying to the Hamptons all the time, always seen court-side at Lakers games, yet she never worked.” Because she’s an heiress. #duh

Apparently, much like Gretchen scored her spot on the show through her affiliation to wealthy former fiance, Jeff Beitzel, Sarah attracted producers, not through Gretchen, but through one of her wealthy, older men! “This rich dude, Kurt,” the insider says, failing to elaborate on just how this “Kurt” is connected to honchos at Bravo. Kurt, a sixty-something Newport Beach businessman, is a former boyfriend of Sarah’s, whom she was able to parlay her relationship with into appearing on RHOC.

Moving on to other less scintillating Housewives news, Vicki opened up about the season premiere and wants us to know she’s a whole new gal! We’ll believe it when we see it, Vicks!

Reflecting on how far she has come since her inaugural season, she is glad Gretchen and Tamra have made amends and are working to put the past behind them, although, she was as shocked by their new friendship as viewers were! “Watching Gretchen and Tamra go to lunch and discuss their past issues was interesting to me. How can Gretchen just put the past behind her and simply forgive Tamra for all the hurt she has put her and Slade through? From what Gretchen has told me, it was easier to forgive then keep fighting,” Vicki explains in her Bravo Blog.

“Maybe that’s a lesson for all of us. I just don’t know if I could do have done it. While I was watching Tamra give Gretchen a friendship bracelet with a key on it and “locking up the past and entering a new future,” I thought WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?!?”

Vicki, like Tamra, is really, really impressed by Heather. And Vicki thinks they have a lot in common. Sit down for this comment. “Tamra introduced Heather to our group by inviting her to my dinner party. When I met her, it was an immediate ‘Wow’ moment,” Vicki muses. “She was absolutely stunning, classy, and the only one who brought me a hostess gift. I liked her immediately and thought. . .’finally someone I can connect with.’ ” I thought Tamra was her BFFL?! What the heck?!

Vicki also talks that awkward moment when Alexis Bellino ran into her ex-friend whom she believes is secretly in love with her husband after they hooked up fifteen years ago. “I felt bad for Alexis tonight seeing Peggy [Tanous]walk in my dinner party. You could cut the air with a knife. The ended the season finale last year with such an uncomfortable situation with Alexis finding out Peggy dated Jim [Bellino]. How uncomfortable.”

Finally, Vicki gives us an update on her divorce to Donn Gunvalson. Vicki claims the two get along well. “Donn and I are at the final stages of settling our property and our divorce,” Vicki explains. “Donn is still active in my kids’ lives, and we are very amicable, which I am very grateful for. We truly want the best for each other, and realized we weren’t the best for one another.”

“As you will see this year, I am dating a great man named Brooks [Ayers]. He has become my best friend, my true partner, and someone that I really enjoy being with,” she concludes, reminding us that this will be a great season. I hope so!

SURPRISED BY THE RATINGS? DO YOU THINK SHANE AND SARAH ARE HOOKING UP? IS SARAH A GRIFTER OR DO YOU THINK SHE REALLY IS AN HEIRESS? ARE VICKI AND TAMRA STILL FRIENDS OR HAVE THEY “BROKEN UP”?